Apple is preparing to expand the health tools on its latest smartwatch with a new feature aimed at spotting possible sleep apnea. According to Reuters, the Apple Watch Series 11 uses on-device machine learning to analyze blood-oxygen readings and heart-rate variability for signs linked to the condition.

The system is designed to flag patterns that may warrant medical attention rather than provide a diagnosis. Apple is expected to receive preliminary FDA clearance within days, which would clear the way for the feature’s rollout in the U.S.

The update continues Apple’s push to position the watch as a consumer health device as much as a fitness tracker. If approved, the sleep apnea detection tool could add another layer of early-warning monitoring for users who may not realize they have symptoms.

The move also underscores how wearable makers are leaning more heavily on artificial intelligence to turn everyday sensor data into health insights, while regulators continue to scrutinize how such tools are presented to consumers.

Sleep apnea

Apple Watch Series 11 to add AI sleep apnea detection, FDA clearance nears